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0. A. ENSIGN. Waterproof Boots and Shoes.

No. 231,293. Patented Aug. 17,1880.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. ENSIGN, OF NAUGATUCK, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO GOOD- YEARS METALLIC RUBBER SHOE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

WATER-PROOF BOOT AND SHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 231,293, dated August 17, 1880.

Application filed June 9, 1880. (Model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, CHARLES A. ENSIGN, of Naugatuck, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Water-Proof Boots and Shoes; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification. and represent, 1n

Figure 1, side view of the shoe complete; Fig. 2, side view with the quarter cut away; Fig. 3, top view.

This invention relates to an improvement in water-proof boots and shoes, with special reference to that class of shoes which have been known in the market as congress arcticsthat is to say, shoes having a rubber and fabric vamp and heel portion with an elastic gore at one or both sides and an india-rubber foxin g. The invention is applicable, also, to bootlegs.

In the usual construction a difficulty was eX- pcrieneed because of the small extent which could be given to theelastic gore, for if too large it detracted very much from the appearance of the shoe.

The object of the invention is to overcome this difficulty; and it consists in the construction, as hereinafter described, and particularly recited in the claim.

A represents the vamp, which extends back of a line, a, forward of the ankle-joint. B B are two sides of the quarter, and extend around the heel in like manner to the common broganshaped arctic, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3, the vamp and quarter made from water-proof fabricated material, and provided with the indiarubber foxing D.

From the rear edge, a, of the vamp an elastic gore-shaped piece, C, extends rearward to a line, b, back of the ankle-joint, but inside the quarter, as seen in Fig. 3, (the quarter broken away in Fig. 2.) This interposed gorepiece C may be attached to the lining inside the vamp, the lining being cut away over the extent of the elastic gore, as in the common congress arctic; or it may be attached directly to the rear edge of the vamp and to the quarter near the heel, but in any case so as to leave the two sides of the quarter free forward of the rear line, b, of the gore-piece.

The quarters are provided with the usual strap D and buckle E, or other device by which the ends of the quarter may be secured over the instep.

The quarters therefore hide entirely the elastic gores and permit them to be made of greater extent than the congress arctic, whereby a greater expansion of the mouth of the shoe can be attained in putting on and taking off, overcoming a serious difficulty in the congress arctic. The quarters also protect the elastic gores, and the shoe has the appearance of the buckled arctic, more desirable than that of the congress arctic. At the same the shoe possesses the capacity of-the congress arctic to prevent water from entering the shoe between the quarters and vamp.

If applied to one side only, the quarter on the opposite side, it will be understood, will be secured to the rear edge of the vamp.

This combined elastic gore and overlapping quarter or flap may be applied to boot-legs, so as to enable them to close tightly around the leg, and yet be protected from the wear which would otherwise come upon the elastic gore.

It is well understood that the material of So which the elastic gore is necessarily made renders it more liable to wear and destruction from wear than the material from which the outer is usually made.

It will be understood that in cases where it is desired to buckle behind, the vamp or front portion will be extended so as to cover the gores and overlap the quarter or rear portion 1 therefore do not confine myself to securing the overlapping portion over the instep.

I claim- The improved india-rubber overshoe consisting of the vamp A and quarters B, made from water-proof fabricated material, the interposed elastic gore C, and the india-rubber foxin g D, the said quarter or quarters extended to cover the said gore or gores, and provided with securing devices for the free ends of the quarters, all substantially as described.

n:- OHAS. A. ENSIGN. Witnesses E. B. GOODYEAR, I. W. GUBBINs. 

